Newcastle will look all over the world to find the players that will give them the depth they need to compete next season, according to manager Eddie Howe.
A first season in the Champions League in 20 years means an increased workload for Howe’s squad next term, and conversations have already taken place between the manager and club officials over resources during the transfer window.
Injuries have stretched Newcastle thin at times this season despite recording their highest Premier League finish since 2003.
Howe felt his side lacked the quality in reserve to win the game in the second half of Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea that brought the curtain down on a memorable first full season in charge for the manager.
With the restrictions put in place by Financial Fair Play rules, he cited qualification for Europe’s top competition as the critical factor in freeing up the ownership to invest in recruitment.
Still, Howe warned the market may not be kind as the club seek to build a side capable of competing on all fronts.
“Yeah we’ve had discussions (on Saturday),” said the manager. “I don’t think (the budget) is ever outlined because there are so many variables to it, but certainly we know where we stand.
“When you’re sat in my shoes, it’s never as big as you want it to be.
“It’s a difficult one because we go into a lot of competitions next year, so we need the depth. I think this year we’ve been light, certainly in certain areas of the pitch. We’ve carried – in the second half of the season – four midfielders.
“You’re one injury away from a very difficult situation so I think we need a little bit more depth.
“We’re not there yet, you could see that (against Chelsea), but we are suffering from injuries. Certainly that’s a concern for us in that we do need to bolster our resources. We can’t be looking at one or two injuries and we’re in a difficult position.
“In the second half we were stretched and maybe lacking the bench that could have changed the game to win it.”
Newcastle won eight of their 10 league games in March and April to take control of their destiny in the race for the top four, but enjoyed just one more victory in their final five, securing their Champions League objective with a game to spare.
Howe pointed to disruption caused by injuries – key players Joelinton, Joe Willock and Nick Pope were unavailable for the game at Stamford Bridge, whilst Alexander Isak and Matt Targett have also missed significant chunks of the season – as something that must not be allowed to derail the team next term.
The visitors struggled after the break against Chelsea despite having had the better of a first half in which Anthony Gordon gave them the lead, later wiped out by a Kieran Trippier own goal.
“We’ve done it all season, we’ve been hugely competitive,” said Howe. “I don’t think we’ve been an easy game for anybody.
“The challenge for us next year is to maintain our standards and mentality, because when you come to these tough grounds, if you’re not robust enough to deal with the challenge, these can be really difficult games.
“The players that we currently have have to be fit and ready to go (next season). They have to be ready to prove how good we are all over again. We start at zero next season. I think that’s a healthy way to look at it.
“If we can add one or two players that make the difference in the transfer market, that would be good news.
“We’ll have our eyes and ears hopefully all over everything, whether that’s teams getting promoted, relegated; all over the world. As I’ve said many times, the market’s going to be difficult.”
St Kitts and Nevis, Belize secure first leg advantage in Nations League Play-In
Saint Kitts and Nevis and Belize place one foot in the Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims as both secured 2-1 wins over Cuba and French Guiana, respectively, in the opening leg of their Concacaf Nations League Play-In on Thursday.
Romaine Sawyers (8th) and Andre Burley (48th) were the scorers for Saint Kitts and Nevis, while Luis Paradela (40th) pulled one back for Cuba at the SKNFA Technical Center in Basseterre.
Meanwhile, at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan, Belize through goals from Carlos Bernardez (67th) and Eugene Martinez (75th) also secured an advantage heading into return leg action on Tuesday. Thomas Torvic (90+3) got French Guiana’s goal.
The winning teams on aggregate will advance to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Prelims.
Saint Kitts and Nevis vs. Cuba
Sawyers opened the scoring for Saint Kitts and Nevis with a right-footed strike inside the penalty area after latching on to a final pass from Omari Sterling-James.
However, Paradela pulled Cuba level with a tidy finish from Orlando Calvo’s perfectly weighted ball into the area.
Cuba’s celebrations were short-lived as Burley restored the “Sugar Boyz” lead when he expertly headed home from Sterling-James’ weighted freekick.
Cuba will host Saint Kitts and Nevis in the second leg on Monday at Estadio Antonio Maceo in Santiago de Cuba.
Belize vs. French Guiana
After playing out a goalless first half, Bernardez broke the deadlock for Belize from a penalty spot much to the delight of home crowd.
Martinez extended the lead when he applied the finishing touch to Jordy Polanco’s decent corner kick.
Down but not out, Torvic ensured French Guiana remained in striking distance as he headed home from Thomas Vancaeyezeele’s assist.
French Guiana and Belize will meet for the second leg on Tuesday at Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo, Suriname.
St Vincent and the Grenadines, El Salvador register wins in League B battle for promotion
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines kept hopes of a promotion in the Concacaf Nations League alive as they beat Monserrat 2-1, while El Salvador clipped Bonaire 1-0 in Group A of League B on Thursday.
Steven Pierre (42nd) fired home from a delightful Shakeem Adams pass before Cornelius Stewart (86th) converted from the penalty spot to seal a crucial win for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Meanwhile, Donervorn Daniels (88th) scored Montserrat’s consolation in the curtain-raiser of the double-header at Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador.
In the feature contest, host and group leaders El Salvador also secured a crucial win courtesy of Styven Vasquez’s 83rd-minute strike, which came from a Santos Ortiz assist.
By virtue of the results, El Salvador remain atop the standings on 12 points, two points ahead of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (10 points), while Bonaire (four points) and Montserrat (three points) are battling to avoid relegation.
As such, things will be interesting on Sunday’s final matchday as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will face Bonaire in the first encounter before El Salvador cross swords with Montserrat in the feature at the same venue.
Reggae Boyz edged 1-0 by US in Nations League quarter-final first leg
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz were left with a bittersweet taste in their mouths as they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the United States in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal clash at the National Stadium on Thursday.
It was a match defined by tension and missed chances, particularly for the Reggae Boyz, as Ricardo Pepi’s early fifth-minute strike proved decisive for the visitors, who left a packed crowd of 20,514 fans disappointed at the outcome.
With the win, United States, the reigning Concacaf Nations League champions will be even more confident heading into Monday's return leg in Missouri. Jamaica will be without England-born central defender Mason Holgate for that contest after he was shown a second yellow and then red in the 86th. His first caution was in the 76th.
The Boyz would have been hyped heading into Thursday's encounter on home soil, but quickly had the wind knocked out of their sails when Pepi found the net from a Christian Pulisic through ball to seize an early lead for the United States.
However, the Boyz refused to be cowed and pressed the Americans for an equalizer in what became a fiercely contested match. They had their first real chance to level things in the 12th minute, when Shamar Nicholson powered his way into the box, only to be fouled by United States' goalkeeper Matt Turner.
Demarai Gray stepped up to take the resulting penalty, but Turner rose to the occasion, diving to his right to block Gray’s low shot and keep the United States advantage intact.
Still, the Boyz continued to push forward. In the 36th minute, Kasey Palmer tried his luck from the top of the box, but his shot was comfortably collected by Turner.
Just a minute later, Dexter Lembikisa whipped in a well-placed cross for Nicholson, but his header went well wide of the mark as they continued their search for a breakthrough.
After a slow start to the second half, the Boyz upped the tempo and created multiple close chances in what was their best passage of play. Nicholson had another opportunity in the 63rd minute, but his shot was expertly charged down by Mark McKenzie, who frustrated the Jamaican faithful.
Perhaps Jamaica's best chance came shortly after, in the 65th minute, as Renaldo Cephas sent a teasing cross across the face of the United States goal. Holgate connected but had his shot cleared off the line by Tim Ream.
The resulting corner saw Leon Bailey's curling effort rattle the crossbar, and Damion Lowe’s follow-up was also blocked, drawing loud cheers from the crowd, who wanted a VAR check for a possible penalty.
However, the appeal by both the players on the pitch and their supporters was ignored by Costa Rican referee Juan Gabriel Calderon, resulting in murmurs of frustration through the crowd.
The game briefly paused when tensions flared between Bailey and United States defender Antonee Robinson, an incident symbolic of the competitive spirit both sides displayed throughout.
As the minutes ticked away, Jamaica kept pushing, but the United States defence stood firm. Bailey tried once more in the 73rd minute with a shot from inside the box, only to see it blocked by Ream.
A defensive error by Lowe opened the door for the Americans to threaten late on, with Brandon Vazquez finding himself with space and time in the 84th minute, but his attempt went straight to Jamaica’s custodian Andre Blake.
The final blow for the Boyz came in the 86th minute when Holgate received his second yellow card after a foul on Vazquez, reducing Steve McClaren's side to 10 men and dimming their chances for a late comeback.
Despite the narrow defeat, Jamaica will head into the second leg with hopes of overturning the deficit but will need to be much sharper and more clinical if they hope to progress to the semifinals, as getting by the United States in their backyard will by no means be easy.
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